Knife for cutting and peeling

Abstract

A knife (1) according to the invention comprises a handle (2) and a blade (3). The blade (3) extends in a central plane of the knife from a cutting edge (4) to a blunt back edge (5). The knife (1) includes a guide element (6) which is movable about a pivot axis (7) oriented orthogonally to the central plane of the knife between a first position and a second position over the blunt back edge (5). In the first position, the guide element (6) is located at the handle (2). In the second position, the guide element (6) is positioned relative to the cutting edge (4) such that a cutting gap is formed between the cutting edge (4) and a contact line of the guide element (6). The knife can be used optimally both as a normal knife and, with the guide element (6) in the second position, as a peeler.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to knives according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Knives comprise a handle and at least one blade with a cutting edge. The blade extends at a central plane from the cutting edge to a blunt back edge. Knives are used for processing food. The knives are designed for the respective type of processing and where they are used. Common processing methods include cutting, stabbing, chopping and peeling. Knives with short blades or vegetable peelers are used for peeling fruit, potatoes or vegetables. Vegetable peelers comprise a cutting edge and a guide element firmly attached to the blade with a support line. A cutting gap is formed between the cutting edge and the support line so that during peeling only pieces of peel are cut off, the thickness of which is determined by the cutting gap.

[0003] Food is usually prepared in kitchens but also outdoors. The diverse designs of the handle and blade are intended to facilitate the respective type of preparation. In cutting knives, the handle extends along a longitudinal axis, and the blade extends away from the handle in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

[0004] For knives used outdoors and which must not pose a hazard during transport, the blade is movably attached to the handle. In a closed position, the cutting edge of the blade is positioned near the handle so that it is not accessible. The blade and its cutting edge move into a working position or an open position, in which the blade extends away from the handle in the direction of the handle's longitudinal axis, either by pivoting the blade around a blade bearing at one end of the handle or by sliding it out of the handle.

[0005] Peelers have two characteristically different orientations of the cutting edge relative to the handle's long axis. If the cutting edge of a peeler is oriented orthogonally to the handle's long axis, the entire arm is often moved during peeling. If the cutting edge of a peeler extends away from the handle in the direction of the handle's long axis, a simple movement of the wrist may be sufficient for peeling.

[0006] CH 292339 describes a knife that can be used for free cutting. Combined with a rigid wire with a straight section and two ends, the knife can be used to cut off parts of potatoes, carrots, pears, apples, and other fruits. The two ends of the wire are wound in opposite directions around parallel winding axes. In the two sections adjacent to the straight section on either side, segments of the ends run directly over each other relative to the parallel winding axes, each forming a receiving area for a knife blade.

[0007] To attach the wire to the blade of a knife, the wire and knife are aligned so that the central plane of the blade extends orthogonally to the parallel winding axes. In this mutual alignment, the cutting edge of the blade is inserted into these receiving areas between the overlapping segments at both ends.

[0008] The two transitions of the rigid wire from the straight section to the two coiled ends run perpendicular to the central plane of the blade, or in a direction with a component along the coil axes, and each form a stop for the cutting edge of the blade. When the rigid wire is attached to the blade up to the two stops, an area of ​​the straight section facing the cutting edge forms a support line that runs at a distance from the central plane of the blade. This distance defines the thickness of the severed parts, such as peels, which are separated from fruit, potatoes, or vegetables with the blade when the support line rests against them.

[0009] Attaching the wire to the cutting edge of a blade is dangerous because the fingers used to do so can press against the cutting edge with force and inadvertently come into contact with the cutting edge, which poses a high risk of cuts with sharp knives. In addition, the two transitions of the rigid wire from the straight part to the two coiled ends are pressed against the cutting edge when attached. At the contact points, the cutting edge is undesirably deformed by the hard wire. At the very least, frequent attachment and removal of the wire with the support line reduces the cutting ability of the cutting edge. If the blade is retracted in the opposite direction to the cutting direction before a portion of the treated product has been completely severed, the wire can become detached from the blade and must be searched for between the severed shells and reattached.

[0010] The object of the invention is to find a safe solution with which a knife can be used both for free cutting and for separating parts of a certain thickness, in particular for peeling.

[0011] This object is achieved by a knife having the features of claim 1. The dependent claims describe alternative or advantageous embodiments which solve further problems.

[0012] As part of a first inventive step, it was recognized that in a knife with a blade that has a cutting edge and a blunt back edge facing away from it, users can safely press against the blunt back edge.

[0013] As part of a second inventive step, it was discovered that a guide element can be moved over the blunt rear edge to the cutting edge, so that a cutting gap is formed between the cutting edge and a support line of the guide element. In the area of ​​the cutting gap, peels or slices of vegetables, fruit, or potatoes can be separated, the thickness of which is determined by the distance of the support line from the central plane of the blade.

[0014] The knife according to the invention can be used for cutting and peeling. It comprises a handle and at least one blade attached to the handle, the blade extending in a central knife plane from a cutting edge to a blunt rear edge facing away from the cutting edge. The handle extends in a handle longitudinal axis. When cutting or peeling, the blade of the knife extends away from the handle in the direction of the handle longitudinal axis. The knife comprises a guide element which is movable about a pivot axis oriented transversely, preferably orthogonally, to the central knife plane between a first and a second position over the blunt rear edge of the blade extending away from the handle in the direction of the handle longitudinal axis. In the first position, the guide element is located near the handle.In the second position, the guide element is assigned to the cutting edge in such a way that a cutting gap is formed between the cutting edge and a support line of the guide element.

[0015] With the knife according to the invention, there is no risk of the user's finger being injured by the cutting edge when changing from the state in which only the blade protrudes from the handle to the state in which the guide element is positioned towards the blade for peeling. Furthermore, the knife does not comprise any elements that come into contact with the cutting edge, meaning the cutting edge is not undesirably deformed. The cutting ability of the cutting edge is not impaired by the guide element. The knife according to the invention is ideally suited for use both as a normal knife with a handle and blade and, with the guide element attached to the blade, as a peeler. If alternating cutting and peeling operations are required, these can be performed with a single knife. Between the different operations, the guide element only needs to be adjusted from the first to the second or from the second to the first position.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, the guide element has an engagement element in a region at the free end facing away from the pivot axis. The blade comprises a positioning opening leading through the blade, which is arranged such that the engagement element meets the positioning opening in the second position and can engage therein. The guide element is preferably designed or preloaded such that the engagement element engages in the positioning opening. The engagement is particularly designed such that a cutting gap is formed which, during peeling or slicing, separates peels or slices that have a substantially constant thickness along the cutting gap. A removal element of the guide element that can be gripped with a finger enables the engagement element to be removed from the positioning opening and the guide element to be moved towards the first position.

[0017] In order to prevent the guide element from being moved beyond the second position or beyond the cutting edge, in an advantageous embodiment a stop is formed between the guide element and the blade or the handle.

[0018] Preferably, the blade protrudes in the direction away from the handle with a pointed portion extending beyond the positioning opening or beyond the area with the guide element in the second position. This pointed portion can be used as a cutting area. If localized spots remain during peeling that need to be removed, these can be removed with the same knife, namely with the protruding pointed portion.

[0019] To ensure a comfortable grip during both cutting and peeling, one advantageous embodiment of the handle includes a receiving area for the guide element. In the first position, the guide element is at least partially accommodated in the receiving area and thus does not protrude uncomfortably from the handle.

[0020] If the blade is attached to the handle via a fixed connection and thus always protrudes from the handle in the longitudinal axis of the handle, it is advisable to position the pivot axis in the area of ​​the blade facing the handle. In this case, a bolt or rivet connected to the guide element is preferably guided through a hole in the blade at the pivot axis.

[0021] According to a further embodiment, the pivot axis is arranged in the end region of the handle. A positioning device is then preferably formed at the pivot axis, which fixes the guide element in the second position such that it can only be moved toward the first position upon application of a force exceeding a predetermined restoring force or upon release of a locking mechanism.

[0022] In a design for outdoor use which poses no danger during transport, the blade is movably attached to the handle. In a closed position, the cutting edge of the blade is positioned near the handle so that it is not accessible. The blade and its cutting edge can be moved into a working position or into an open position in which the blade extends away from the handle in the direction of the handle's longitudinal axis. Changing between the closed and open positions can be achieved either by pivoting the blade around a blade bearing at the end of the handle or by sliding it in and out of the handle.

[0023] Knives with blades that can be adjusted relative to the handle are particularly common as pocket knives, folding knives, or lock knives. Pocket knives comprise two outer surfaces forming a handle, and between the two outer surfaces, a first and a second receiving side facing away from each other, allowing the insertion of working elements. The working elements are moved out of and into the handle of the pocket knife as needed by movements around movement axes.

[0024] An advantageous embodiment of the knife according to the invention is based on a pocket knife. In addition to at least one blade movable about a movement axis at a first end region of the handle, the pocket knife also comprises a guide element that is pivotable about a pivot axis at the first end region of the handle.

[0025] The movement of the blade between the closed and open positions is achieved by a pivoting movement about a movement axis. The movement axis is aligned orthogonally to the central plane of the knife and is located in the area of ​​the handle facing the blade leading away from the handle. A positioning device is preferably formed at the movement axis, which fixes the blade in the open and closed positions in such a way that it can only be moved toward the other position upon application of a force exceeding a predetermined movement force.

[0026] To prepare a paring knife, the blade can be moved from the first receiving side of the pocket knife in a first rotational direction into the open position. The guide element can be moved from the second receiving side of the pocket knife in a pivoting direction opposite to the first rotational direction from the first position over the blunt rear edge of the blade extending away from the handle in the direction of the handle's longitudinal axis into the second position. The pivot axis of the guide element is arranged in the end region of the handle with the movement axis.

[0027] Like other working elements of a pocket knife, the guide element is held in the first and second positions until a force necessary for pivoting is applied to the guide element. For this purpose, a positioning device is preferably provided on the pivot axis, which fixes the guide element in the first and second positions such that it can only be moved toward the second or first position upon application of a force exceeding a predetermined adjustment force.

[0028] The various advantageous embodiments in the form of a pocket knife each have at least one element which has been described for the knife with a blade protruding firmly from the handle in the direction of the handle's longitudinal axis.

[0029] In an advantageous embodiment, the guide element is designed such that it has a cutting edge at the support line, which, in the second position of the guide element, faces the cutting edge of the blade such that, depending on the peeling direction, one of the two cutting edges enables peeling and the other, as a support line, defines the cutting gap. The guide element extends from its cutting edge along a cutting plane. The central knife plane and the cutting plane meet in the area between the two cutting edges at a cutting line at an angle that is less than 180° and greater than 90°.

[0030] To enable equivalent peeling either with the cutting edge of the blade or with the cutting edge of the guide element, the distance of the cutting edge of the guide element from the central knife plane is essentially the same as the distance of the cutting edge of the blade from the cutting plane. When peeling with the cutting edge of the blade, the cutting edge of the guide element forms a support line. When peeling with the cutting edge of the guide element, the cutting edge of the blade forms a support line. A cutting gap is formed between each of the two facing cutting edges and the support line formed by the other cutting edge, which determines the thickness of the separated shells or slices during peeling.

[0031] The two cutting edges facing each other allow the user to peel in their preferred peeling direction and with their preferred right or left hand.

[0032] In a further advantageous embodiment, the knife according to the invention has two guide elements. The two guide elements are arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to the central knife plane and can each be moved individually between the respective first and second positions. For peeling, the guide element suitable for the desired peeling direction can be positioned in the second position and the other guide element in the first position. The choice between two different guide elements allows the user to always use the appropriate guide element depending on their preferred peeling direction or whether they perform the peeling movement with their right or left hand.

[0033] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to some figures. Figure 1 a side view of a knife with the guide element in the first position near the handle, Figure 2 a side view of the knife with the guide element moving between the first and second positions, Figure 3 a side view of the knife with the guide element in the second position near the blade, Figure 4 a view of the side of the knife facing away from the guide element with the guide element in the second position, Figure 5 a view of the cutting edge of the knife with the guide element in the second position, Figure 6 a view of the side of the knife with the guide element, which is in the second position, Figure 7 a view of the blunt back edge of the knife with the guide element in the second position, Figure 8a side view of a pocket knife with the blade in the closed position and the guide element in the first position, Figure 9 a side view of the pocket knife with the blade between the closed and open positions and the guide element between the first and second positions, Figure 10 a side view of the pocket knife with the blade in the open position and the guide element between the first and second position and Figure 11 a side view of the pocket knife with the blade in the open position and the guide element in the second position.

[0034] The Figures 1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the knife 1 according to the invention. The knife 1 comprises a handle 2 and a blade 3 attached to the handle 2. In the Figures 1-4 and 6the blade 3 extends in a central knife plane parallel to the image plane from a cutting edge 4 to a blunt rear edge 5 facing away from the cutting edge 4. The handle 2 extends in a longitudinal axis of the handle. In this first embodiment, the blade 3 of the knife 1 extends non-adjustably in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the handle away from the handle 2. The knife 1 comprises a guide element 6 which is movable about a pivot axis 7 aligned orthogonally to the central knife plane between a first position 8 and a second position 9 over the blunt rear edge 5. In the first position 8, the guide element 6 is located near the handle 2. In the second position 9, the guide element 6 is assigned to the cutting edge 4 in such a way that a cutting gap 11 is formed between the cutting edge 4 and a support line 10 of the guide element 6.

[0035] In the Figures 1 to 7In the embodiment shown, the guide element 6 has an engagement element 12 in a region at the free end facing away from the pivot axis 7, and the blade 3 comprises a positioning opening 13 leading through the blade 3, which is arranged such that the engagement element 12 meets the positioning opening in the second position 9 and can engage therein. The guide element 6 is preferably designed or prestressed such that the engagement element 12 engages in the positioning opening 13 and in the process prevents the guide element 6 from pivoting back towards the first position. The engagement is designed such that a cutting gap 11 is formed between the guide element 6 and the cutting edge 4, which cutting gap 11 separates peels or slices during peeling or slicing, which slices have an essentially constant thickness along the cutting gap 11.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the engagement element 12 rests on the side of the positioning opening 13 facing away from the cutting edge 4, on the side of the blade 3 facing away from the guide element 6. This ensures that the forces acting on the guide element 6 during peeling cannot lift the guide element 6 from the blade 3.

[0037] A removal element 14 of the guide element 6, which can be grasped with a finger, enables the engagement element 12 to be removed from the positioning opening 13 and the guide element 6 to be moved towards the first position 8. The removal element 14 protrudes slightly from the blade 3, so that in the second position 9 of the guide element 6, a finger can simply be placed under the free end of the removal element 14, the guide element 6 can be lifted out of the positioning opening 13 and the guide element 6 can be pivoted towards the first position 8.

[0038] Both when executed according to the Fig. 1 to 7 as well as in the execution according to the Fig. 8 to 11 The blade 3 protrudes in the direction away from the handle 2 with a pointed area 15 beyond the positioning opening 13 or beyond the guide element 6 located in the second position 9. This pointed area 15 can be used as a cutting area.

[0039] The illustrated handle 2 has a receiving area 16 for the guide element 6. In the first position 8, the guide element 6 is at least partially received in the receiving area 16 and thus does not protrude uncomfortably from the handle 2.

[0040] In the embodiment according to Fig. 1 to 7The blade 3 is attached to the handle 2 via a fixed connection. The pivot axis 7 is arranged in the area of ​​the blade 3 facing the handle. At the pivot axis 7, a bolt or rivet connected to the guide element 6 is preferably guided through a hole in the blade 3.

[0041] The Figures 8 to 11show an embodiment of the knife 1, which is designed as a pocket knife. The pivot axis 7 is aligned orthogonally to the central knife plane and is arranged in an end region of the handle 2. It also forms the axis of movement of the blade 3. A positioning device common in pocket knives is formed on the pivot axis 7, which fixes the guide element 6 in the second position 9 and the blade 3 in an open position 21 in such a way that they can only be moved towards the first position 8 or towards a closed position 20 when forces exceeding predetermined restoring forces are applied. The positioning device also holds the guide element 6 and the blade 3 in the first position 8 or in the closed position 20 in such a way that at least a predetermined force must be applied to pivot them out.

[0042] The illustrated pocket knife comprises two outer surfaces 17 that at least partially enclose the handle 2 in a direction orthogonal to the central knife plane, and between the two outer surfaces 17, a first receiving side 18 and a second receiving side 19, which face away from each other. The first receiving side 18 receives the blade 3, and the second receiving side 19 receives the guide element 6. The blade 3 and the guide element 6 are each moved in opposite directions about the pivot axis 7 out of and into the handle 2 of the pocket knife.

[0043] To prepare a paring knife, the blade 3 is movable from the first receiving side 18 into the open position 21. The guide element 6 is movable from the second receiving side 19 from the first position 8 over the blunt rear edge 5 of the blade 3 extending away from the handle 2 in the direction of the handle's longitudinal axis into the second position 9.

Claims

1. Knife (1) for cutting and peeling with a handle (2) and at least one blade (3) attached to the handle (2), wherein the blade (3) extends in a central knife plane from a cutting edge (4) to a blunt rear edge (5) facing away from the cutting edge (4), the handle (2) extends in a handle longitudinal axis and the blade (3) of the knife (1) extends away from the handle (2) in the direction of the handle longitudinal axis when cutting or peeling, characterized in thatthe knife (1) comprises a guide element (6) which is movable about a pivot axis (7) oriented transversely to the central knife plane between a first position (8) and a second position (9) over the blunt rear edge (5) of the blade (3) extending away from the handle (2) in the direction of the handle's longitudinal axis, wherein the guide element (6) lies near the handle (2) in the first position (8) and is assigned to the cutting edge (4) in the second position (9) in such a way that a cutting gap (11) is formed between the cutting edge (4) and a support line (10) of the guide element (6).

2. Knife (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot axis (7) is aligned orthogonally to the central knife plane.

3. Knife (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in thatthe guide element (6) has an engagement element (12) in a region at the free end facing away from the pivot axis (7), which engages in a positioning opening (13) leading through the blade (3) in the second position (9) of the guide element (6), wherein a removal element (14) of the guide element (6) which can be grasped with a finger enables the removal of the engagement element (12) from the positioning opening (13) and the movement of the guide element (6) towards the first position (8).

4. Knife (1) according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the blade (3) projects away from the handle (2) with a pointed area (15) over the guide element (6) in the second position (9), wherein this pointed area can be used as a cutting area.

5. Knife (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in thatthe handle (2) has a receiving area (16) for the guide element (6), so that the guide element (6) is at least partially received in the receiving area (16) in the first position (8).

6. Knife (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the pivot axis (7) is arranged in the region of the blade (3), which region faces the handle (2) when the blade (3) extends away from the handle (2), wherein in the pivot axis (7) a bolt or rivet connected to the guide element (6) is preferably guided through a bore in the blade (3).

7. Knife (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in thatthe pivot axis (7) is arranged in an end region of the handle (2), wherein a positioning device is preferably formed at the pivot axis (7) which fixes the guide element (6) in the second position (9) in such a way that it can only be moved towards the first position (8) upon application of a force exceeding a predetermined restoring force or upon release of a lock.

8. Knife (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the blade (3) is movably attached to the handle (2), wherein in a closed position (20) the cutting edge (4) of the blade (3) is arranged near the handle (2) so that the cutting edge (4) is not accessible and in an open position (21) the blade (3) protrudes from the handle (2) in the direction of the handle's longitudinal axis.

9. Knife (1) according to claim 8, characterized in thatthe movement of the blade (3) between the closed position (20) and the open position (21) is achievable by a pivoting movement about a movement axis, wherein the movement axis is aligned orthogonally to the central knife plane and is arranged in an end region of the handle (2), and wherein a positioning device is preferably formed at the movement axis, which fixes the blade (3) in the open position (21) and in the closed position (20) in such a way that it can only be moved towards the other position (20, 21) when a force exceeding a predetermined movement force is applied.

10. Knife (1) according to claim 8, characterized in thatthe movement of the blade (3) between the closed and the open position (20, 21) is achievable by a sliding movement in the direction of the handle longitudinal axis out of and into the handle (2), wherein a positioning device is designed which fixes the blade in the open and in the closed position (21, 20) in such a way that it can only be moved towards the other position (20, 21) when a force exceeding a predetermined movement force is applied.

11. Knife (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in thatthe guide element has a cutting edge at the support line which, in the second position of the guide element, faces the cutting edge of the blade in such a way that, depending on a selectable peeling direction, one of the two cutting edges makes peeling achievable and the other, as a support line, makes the cutting gap definable, wherein the guide element extends from its cutting edge along a cutting plane and an angle is formed between the central knife plane and the cutting plane which is less than 180° and greater than 90°.

12. Knife (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in thatthe knife (1) has two guide elements (6), wherein the two guide elements (6) are arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to the central knife plane and are each individually movable in the same way between the respective first and second positions (8, 9), wherein for peeling the guide element (6) suitable for the desired peeling direction can be positioned in the second position (9) and the other guide element (6) in the first position (8).

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